[Unofficial Translation]
In Memory of Samdech Preah Borom Ratanakaod
May I invite all of you to stand up and be silent in respect of the soul of Samdech Ov, Samdech Ta, Samdech Tatuat – Preah Borom Ratanakaod, in memory of his demise that our people will be celebrating tomorrow in the whole country. We all know that Samdech Ov Preah Borom Ratannakaod devoted his whole life for independence, freedom, national reconciliation for Cambodia. If there were without his crusade, we may ask a question what would happen to Cambodia, especially in his fight for independence on 9 November 1953, the final date that the French withdrew from Cambodia.
He led struggles internally and on the international arena. If he was not there and did not do a thing, would Cambodia now be a French territory oversea? In France, there is this Ministry of Overseas France. Would Cambodia be one of their territories overseas? That is perhaps one point to remember. It was because of his crusade, together with other movements, that secured independence from France.
Secondly, in days we will be celebrating the 24th anniversary of the Paris Peace Agreement, which will be on 23 October. We may ask again, if there were no presence of Preah Borom Ratanakaod, would there be this Paris Peace Agreement. There were two main actors (who persistently made every efforts to make it happens). Other factions, leaders could have abandoned negotiation with the Khmer Rouge or the Son San faction, but no one would turn their backs to negotiation with Preah Norodom Sihanouk and/or Prime Minister Hun Sen […] The Sihanouk-Hun Sen meeting at Fère-en-Tardenois on 2 December1987 was a breakthrough to other stages of peace negotiation for Cambodia. I am sure our people still remember that and to remember his efforts, the Royal Government keeps one day for our people to pay respect to his passing day […]
Education Reform’s Positive Impacts
… This year we are so pleased to see how positive the fundamental reform in secondary school exams has occurred in educational system from primary through to secondary levels. We have noticed that our students have understood that the level that they have to make efforts to pass is set high. Students cannot afford to care free and so their parents and superintendents. This has changed attitudes in our society.
It is indeed a great pleasure to see that those of you who passed the secondary school exams with mention-A […] the standard is still strict and we have noticed increasing figures of students who passed the exams. It was because they made their efforts and so did their parents and superintendents. We also must recognize efforts made by teachers and professors too. I am taking this opportune moment to express my congratulation for over 60,000 nieces and nephews who passed the 2016-17 secondary school exams in all mentions […]
In previous episode of our country, your parents lost their chances. Not many of them had had it. Under Pol Pot, there was none. Your parents and grandparents may still have memory of what happened to the country. When peace replaces war and division, chance for education also comes for our youth and children. Peace has not been sufficient without construction of infrastructure connecting urban and rural areas. Schools construction has also been playing active contribution to allowing children and youth access to education everywhere […]
Grateful to Teachers
We have put in motion this movement of being grateful to teachers in the whole country. This year students even organized marathon, which they claimed in gratitude of their teachers. Yesterday, the teachers association received a sum of fund raised by students’ marathon. If there were such movements in every school, with participations of parents and private sectors, I am sure the efforts to broaden gratitude for teachers will spread widely. I hope that 5 October will always be with us all of the time and in every action […]
Regional Pedagogical Education Advances to 12 + 4
We did start from a very difficult condition and we have made our journey this far. We started from those who know more teach those who know little, and those who know little teach those who know nothing. At present, we have improved our system in education. We have now reached a time when our teachers for kindergarten and primary school levels will need to have twelve years education plus two years in pedagogy. For those who teach in secondary level, will need to graduate with a bachelor and one year in pedagogy. We have set our objective to train our teachers with 12 years of education with four more years in regional pedagogical school. It is important in our effort for educational reforms to achieve not only quantity but also quality […]
Discrimination by Well-Off Children on Poor Students
… I never like, since when I was staying in Buddhist pagoda in pursuance of education, when children from well-off family in power or in wealth behaved abnormally against students from poorer families […] I have always been careful with my children because I was concerned that they would abuse his father’s power. Now I am doing the same thing with my grandchildren. I am calling our society not to exercise discrimination, stop this bullying and insult from students in well-off families on the poor. I used to be in tear when others insulted me while I was depending on food and shelter in Buddhist pagoda for education. I wish that does not happen anymore […]
Everyone is born naked and no one brought anything with him – wealth or power. Even though they are short of money, children of the poor also have brain. It was just that they were born to different mother/family. It was in this understanding that we have localized school buildings – not only primary but also secondary ones – to where children are. In the past, there were only one secondary school in a province. Now, we have many. We are creating opportune moments for students […]
Class would create social discrimination. I have tasted it. I would suggest to teachers everywhere help check this problem. Parents and superintendents also have a say in this. Parents must strengthen social moral among our youth. There are over three million of children and youth registered in schools […]./.
